Nearly half of all European Union household expenditure was absorbed by basic necessities in January 2026, according to official figures published by Eurostat.

The statistical office of the European Union revealed that 46.0 per cent of total consumer spending went towards food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water and energy, and transport.

All three essential categories registered substantial price increases in at least one recent year, demonstrating their influential role in driving broader consumer price rises across the bloc.

The figures form part of the Key figures on Europe – 2026 edition report, which tracks broad socio-economic developments including society, the economy, and natural resources.

The report highlights notable shifts in consumer spending patterns across various sectors between January 2025 and January 2026.

Expenditure on recreation, sport and culture recorded the largest gain among all categories, rising by 1.2 percentage points over the twelve-month period.

Budget allocations for restaurants and accommodation services also expanded, registering an increase of 0.3 percentage points.

Spending on education experienced a modest uptick as well, climbing by 0.1 percentage points across EU households.

In contrast, the largest decline in expenditure share was recorded in the transport sector, which dropped by 0.4 percentage points.

The proportion of household budgets spent on information and communication also contracted, falling by 0.3 percentage points during the same period.